US Measles cases top 5,100 as nation faces loss of elimination status

There have been 5,182 confirmed cases of measles in the United States in 2026, with 330 new cases being added to the list this week alone for the 13th consecutive week of triple-digit jumps, according to the CDC.

Fifty-nine per cent of all cases occur in children and teens, while 96% of individuals affected were either unvaccinated or unsure about their vaccination status. Eleven per cent of those affected have been hospitalised so far. There have been no cases of measles in just five states – Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Hampshire – this year.

The US will officially lose its measles-free status, achieved in 2000, when a Pan American Health Organisation commission meets next week in Washington. This step is largely symbolic, as most experts consider measles endemic in the US now.

The most deadly week for measles-related deaths this year was recorded with cases reported in New York and Wisconsin; both states haven’t experienced any measles-related deaths since the 1990s. While Pennsylvania is still a hot zone with 1,487 cases and six deaths, health officials believe the outbreak may be waning.

Wisconsin reported a new 35-year peak with 477 cases, and Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky saw a spike in numbers as well. All but 2% of the cases in Wisconsin were in people who were not vaccinated.

Two MMR vaccines provide protection against measles with an effectiveness rate of 97%.